A former Hardee County Sheriff's Office corporal is sitting in the same jail where he once wore a badge, after investigators say he used someone else's credit card for a string of unauthorized purchases that included a trip to a Seminole casino. Bank records reviewed by detectives flagged multiple disputed transactions totaling $833.88, and for now the sheriff's office says the case is still very much open. The suspect, identified as John Michael Layport, faces a mix of misdemeanor and felony counts tied to the alleged fraud.
Investigation And Arrest
The case started on June 19, when a victim reported unlawful use of a credit card. Detectives say they followed the electronic trail and tied several charges to local merchants and to the Seminole Brighton Bay Hotel & Casino in Okeechobee, with the transactions totaling $833.88, according to the Hardee County Sheriff's Office. Deputies later executed an arrest warrant for Layport and booked him into the Hardee County Jail on June 30. Portions of the investigation are still underway as detectives sort through financial records and chase down leads.
Charges And Work With Seminole Police
Layport now faces one first-degree misdemeanor count of theft of a credit card, one first-degree misdemeanor count of theft and four third-degree felony counts of fraud, as reported by FOX 13 Tampa Bay. According to FOX 13, he was booked into the Hardee County Jail and is being held on a $22,000 bond while detectives coordinate with the Seminole Police Department on the casino-related charges. The station, citing the sheriff's office, notes that the investigation remains active.
What The Charges Carry
Under Florida law, a first-degree misdemeanor can bring up to one year in county jail, while a third-degree felony can carry a prison term of up to five years, according to the Florida Senate. Those sentencing ranges outline the potential exposure from the fraud-related counts if prosecutors move forward and secure convictions.
Next Steps And Local Context
Layport's case will now wind its way through the county court system; he remained in custody on the $22,000 bond pending arraignment or other early hearings. The sheriff's office has said parts of the probe are ongoing, and the agency's public news log includes prior entries about former deputies facing criminal charges, a recurring reminder of the oversight and accountability scrutiny that tends to follow internal investigations; see the updates on the Hardee County Sheriff's Office.
